"Aleena, Aleena!... Aleena Margaret Keith don't you ignore your grandfather!" Al looked up from her book, pushing a stray red curl away from her face, and then looked at her grandfather. She was rather bookish so it took a lot to take her nose out of a book. "Yes grandfather?" Al said as innocently as possible, looking at him with her big green eyes. "I'm going on a business venture for three days. While I'm gone you need to help out your grandmother." Her grandfather commanded though he knew she did help out.

Her grandfather Charles didn't like children, his granddaughter wasn't an exception. His belief was all children were insufferable know-it-all's and were rude, if not they were just kissing up in hopes of receiving something. "I will grandfather." "I planned on it. Well I must be off." Her grandfather left without giving any hugs or kisses, but that was normal for him. He was probably one of the few people left in Brittan who felt the greater the distance the better.

Al marked her book and went up-stairs to put it in her room; her room was the second smallest in the house though she didn't mind. Her room was rather plain, the walls were a faded yellow her bed spread was a pastel flower pattern, and all the furniture white but it didn't matter to her what her room looked like as long as she wasn't in an orphanage. After her grandparents made several threats to put her into one she read a book all about them and figured anything was better. After Al set the novel down she walked leisurely to her grandmother's room.

She tapped on the door and heard a faint, "Enter." So she walked in.

Mary-Anne, her grandmother was putting clothing away so Al helped. After they were finished Al asked what she could do for her grandmother. "Don't worry Aleena. I have plenty for you to do, though I feel like we could use a good old fashioned tea party." "Just you and I?" Al asked though she knew the answer was a yes. She wasn't aloud to have any friends over or go anywhere herself, it was one of several rules her grandparents had. Another was; don't ask questions, so naturally Al read as much as possible to answer all of her questions.

Mary-Ann after a few seconds of hesitation said "Yes. Now Aleena,

what would an old fashioned tea party be without old-fashion, dresses?" Al and her grandmother when up into the attic to find some dresses that would still be in decent condition. Mary-Ann began searching on the left side of the room, so Aleena took the right. The attic was rather large with boxes of all different sizes, shapes and colors. You had to watch your footing but when Al began to search for something nothing else ever really mattered. So it was only a matter of time before she tripped over something. This time it was a trunk, an old fashioned wooden and metal one with her initials on it. Al would have left it alone if it didn't have HER initials on it, but she thought it was odd that something that looked three times her age would, so she decided to have a look inside.

Al tried to open it and found it opened with ease, which she thought was strange because she was sure it did look like it was locked until her fingers touched it. Inside there was a rather odd assortment of items. She found what looked like a stick of wood, 3 black cloaks that were neatly folded with an odd crest, a diary with a pendent lock, two books with rather odd titles; basic magic and charms for chumps. Al found all of these things rather intriguing but what really caught her eye was the folded piece of paper on top, it was slightly yellowed over time but it didn't look like it was ever read. Al as quietly as she could, closed the trunk and sat on it. She opened the letter and began to read it out loud.

"Hello reader, if you are reading this that means you must have

stumbled upon my trunk and decided to have a look inside it. Incase

you didn't already know this, you are a wizard. Don't doubt what

you're reading because I, Alison Marie Kingston charmed this trunk

myself to insure that no maggle would open it by mistake. What looks

like a stick of wood is actually a wizard wand. Underneath the wizard

robes are two books to help you control your abilities. You should

receive a letter; if you haven't already, by the fifteenth of July

after you reach the age of eleven. I've hung up my wand because my

daughter Mary-Ann- That's you Gram!" Al said looking up at her

grandmother who inched closer and closer to Al during her letter.

Aleena then continued, "Doesn't possess any magical abilities. If the

wand sparks in your hand it chooses you, if not, please for the love

of Merlin don't use it and just go buy a new one. The key at the

bottom of this trunk is for a vault at Valvameers British bank of

wizardry the name it's under is Kingston, number four hundred

twenty-seven. If I die before I have a chance to hand the trunk down

myself then I give the money to the person who opened the trunk. Love,

A.M.K."

Al looked over at her grandmother and said "Gram! I'm a wizard!"

"I'd imagine so with your parents being who they were." Her

grandmother replied stiffly. "How much money do you suppose is in the

vault?" Al said looking at her grandmother cautiously as if she was

facing a dragon rather than a small middle aged woman. "Including

interest? I'd say enough to put you through all of your silly

schooling. I assume you want your letter?" Aleena suddenly forgot

about being cautious and looked at her grandmother in shock saying

"I've already got a letter!" "Aleena Margaret! You'd gotten your

letter on your ninth birthday and the only reason you didn't see it

that day was because I hid it."

"Oh yes please gram! But oh, how will I get my things, where?!?" Al asked with a sudden panic. "Calm down, there's no need for you to panic. London, I suppose Fay alley is still up and running. We'll just catch a train to London tomorrow; you'll need an adult wizards company. I'm not going this time around and you can't possibly go alone." Aleena grandmother replied as if it cleared everything for Al. The two then went down stairs to get the letter. It was in the china cabinet, the only one Al wasn't allowed to go anywhere near. Her grandmother then pulled the letter from it hiding spot and began to read the letter out load to Aleena.

"Dear Ms. Keith, you are invited to Kindlewick's school of wizardry. If you are interested in attending please send word no later than July 21st the year after you turn twelve. The school year will begin August 31st. If no word is given we will have to assume you've declined on our offer. What is expected for your school supplies is on the second sheet of paper in the envelope. The third is a permission-slip for recreational, optional trips into a town neighboring the school. I hope you will be able to join us Ms. Keith. Signed, Headmaster Melvin Alf Maddock." A minute of silence passed between the two.

"Gram..." Al began with panic in her voice "the 21st is only two days away. How can we possibly mail it and have it show up that soon?"

"An eagle will get it there when we send one tomorrow. Why do you always have to worry so much?" her grandmother asked shaking her head as she left the room.

Al with shaky hands reopened her letter to Kindlewick. The invitation however was gone. In its place was a packing list.

School Necessities

Three School addition robes (A set of dress robes is optional)

Pleated skirts (or trousers)

White button-down shirts

One school scarf

One cloak (of any color and or material)

At least one pair of durable gloves (giraffe, elephant or dragon leather)

One set of scales (any metal will do)

At least one set of crystal or glass vials with stoppers

Basic potion ingredients (beetles, doxy wings, crushed unicorn horn,

madrigora root, newt eyes and frog spawn)

Leather-bound Journals

Parchment

Quills and Ink

One Wand

Potions for beginners- Lucy Evens

Defense against Dark Magic; Year One- Patrick McCormier

Charms for Chumps (fifth addition)- Emit Rogers

Magic; A History Worth Remembering- Onyx Potter

Divinization and the Future You Have- Calantha Maggot

Transfiguration; Year One- Trisha Eire

Muggle Studies; the Building-Blocks for Their Future- Linder Frantz

Ancient Runes: How they Affect you Now- Hollan Delaw

The next day Al and her grandmother got up early and headed for a train to London form their home in Leeds. The ride was rather short, which Al was thankful for because public transportation seats were rather uncomfortable for her liking. After their exit from the train they hailed a taxi to 5th street. After they reached the correct street Aleena's grandmother led her to a phone booth. They both squeezed inside together, it just looked like a regular phone booth to almost anyone, but Al wasn't one of these people. Underneath the uniform ledge was a brass doorknob she reached for the knob and her touch made the back of the phone booth turn into a rather large, and old oak door. "Go ahead, open the door Aleena.", Her grandmother commanded. Al obeyed her mind almost in a trance, shaking with antisipation. There were no doorknobs in phone booths. The door opened with ease, Al was in complete awe of what she had seen.

A/N: Sorry you lot for the poor quality. I wrote this story a couple of years ago for a contest that I opted not to enter in the end. I have about three more chapters already written... Just too lazy to post